The Burial

When I last posted, we were settling down for the night in a cheap motel. We had to run the airconditioner to drown out the sounds of traffic rushing down the highway. We got up the next morning to shower. I ate the rest of my bean sprouts, drank the last of the kefir, and had some kimchi for breakfast. Chris and Michele went to a nearby restaurant for breakfast. My Dad and Faye came over and we all took a walk, east and west along the road in front of the motel. When Chris returned, we packed and went over to their motel. They packed up and checked out and we all followed the GPS to the church. The lot was mostly full of cars and we wondered if we missed the service. I got to see my cousins and their kids, all taller than I remembered. Some as grown as Michele. Then we walked up the hill to the graveyard. We gathered at the pavilion, and the pallbearers brought the casket in. The pastor passed out remembrance leaflets. The service wasn't long, and Dale played some of Rufus' favorite hymns on his violin. Then the funeral director said 'That concludes the service" but no one left. Eventually we all stayed to see the casket lowered, the vault lid put on, and the grand kids were photographed putting a shovelful of dirt into the grave. My cousin told me that today was her parents 51st wedding anniversary. Well, they are now together forever. Rufus' closest kin (my mother, John, their kids and grandkids) all proceeded to an all-you-can eat buffet near Reading. Apparently Rufus had provided for this in his will. We had a marvelous time talking with everyone, and I handed out Korean coins to the kids. Then they went home and we headed back to VA. Faye, Dad, and I took turns driving. I was afraid that I wouldn't do so well at interstate driving, but it went ok. We went to the church where Faye had left her car. She went to get Michele (who had gone home with Chris), and the rest of us unpacked at my parents house. After Faye delivered Michele, we prepared for bed.